Local publication I Sleep in Haysheds and Corners has been announced as the Best New Project or Work by Young People in Tasmania at the 2011 Express Media Awards.
Express Media (http://expressmedia.org.au/express_media/) is the peak organisation for young writers in Australia, and its annual awards celebrate the best the nation has to offer in up and coming literature.
I Sleep in Haysheds and Corners overcame strong competition from other finalists to win its category. Co-editor Ben Walter said “It’s always satisfying to have your work recognised by independent awards – you never know if your friends and family are just being nice. It’s a testament to the quality of young writers we have working in the state right now.”
In an innovative collaboration, local writers’ short stories were paired with young Tasmanian craft artists who responded to the themes raised in the writing. A range of responses, from a knitted book, to a leather mask, to delicate letterpress designs, are featured in the book alongside the stories. The book, which also received a Gold Print Industry Craftsmanship Design Award earlier this year, has sold the majority of its limited edition print run of 500 copies.
Ben Walter, Kelly Eijdenberg
